It has to be the altitude.
Aug. 24th, 2007 08:56 amDaily journey to work just reminds me how much I hate the tube. Aaagh. However, a non-tube journey to the Wharf from Battersea would take forever, something I am due to find out all about when the strikes happen. Joy.
But enough whining about tubes, there was a reason for posting.
A few days ago, over on
stupid_free, there was a long rambling discussion about Anglophiles and people who don't seem to realise that not all of England is London. I suppose I can kind of see why you may think along these lines if you're not from old Blighty, dim as it may be. It causes no fear.
What does cause fear is the conversation I had yesterday, with a colleague born in the UK and living in London. Said only other woman in the office was expressing the growing fear she felt living in London, what with crime rates and such things, it's so terrible, people get shot every day here on the streets of LONDON. Most of this is being background noise until she utters the following:
"See, someone's just been shot in Letchworth and there was that boy shot and killed outside that pub the other day..."
I blinked for several seconds, as I tried to work out if I'd heard right. "Um, V, you do realise that neither of those things you just mentioned happened in London, yes? Okay, Letchworth isn't hugely far away, but the kid shooting? Completely different city?"
"Oh, as far as I'm concerned they're all the same place. London, Manchester, Liverpool, the same city."
And now I'm starting to wonder if this is why she's late for work every morning.
But enough whining about tubes, there was a reason for posting.
A few days ago, over on
What does cause fear is the conversation I had yesterday, with a colleague born in the UK and living in London. Said only other woman in the office was expressing the growing fear she felt living in London, what with crime rates and such things, it's so terrible, people get shot every day here on the streets of LONDON. Most of this is being background noise until she utters the following:
"See, someone's just been shot in Letchworth and there was that boy shot and killed outside that pub the other day..."
I blinked for several seconds, as I tried to work out if I'd heard right. "Um, V, you do realise that neither of those things you just mentioned happened in London, yes? Okay, Letchworth isn't hugely far away, but the kid shooting? Completely different city?"
"Oh, as far as I'm concerned they're all the same place. London, Manchester, Liverpool, the same city."
And now I'm starting to wonder if this is why she's late for work every morning.
no subject
Date: 2007-08-24 08:53 am (UTC)I pointed out that the reason we heard about more crime was increased media coverage, that 15 years ago we couldn't find 300 news sites online within minutes, that things like this made it look like the crime rates had gone up.
She looked at me as if I was really stupid and proceeded to say London, Liverpool and Manchester were all the same city.
I gave up.
no subject
Date: 2007-08-24 08:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-08-24 09:06 am (UTC)